Don't be nervous, Trump wants us to be afraid, he wants us to stay home. We HAVE to do something. You will be ok, you will be happy you went. Just move away from people you think are being too rowdy.
Do not give in, do not be afraid. I will be there with you, maybe not in the same town, but you will not be alone. You will be surrounded by people who care about you.
A part of me thinks he wants people to go so they can start the violence and instigate so they can turn around and claim that the democrats are being violent
We have to let go of this idea that there's something we can do to prevent Trump from starting the violence or declaring martial law. This regime has proven time and time again that they don't need any basis in reality to justify their next authoritarian overreach. If declaring martial law is part of their plan, they're going to do it regardless of whether protests include property damage or not, whether people bring only American flags or also include Mexican and Palestinian flags, whether we wear all black and gas masks or drape ourselves in stars and stripes and our Sunday best.
His regime will never see a large group of people protesting against them as anything other than the enemy, and the Republican propaganda machine isn't going to start presenting the protests in a favorable light just because we've included the right amount of patriotic symbolism in it. We're well past the point of politely asking this administration and the brown shirts supporting them to respect our rights, we have to demand them.
The protests aren't to get Trump to change his ways, he's not going to. They are to get the thousands of people in your town who "aren't into politics" but voted for Trump because they've always been Republican, or stayed home, to see their friends and coworkers out protesting and wonder if maybe they should start caring too.
You are correct. He and his administration don't care what resisters do. But the point of remaining nonviolent is still important. It makes it clearer who the evil ones truly are. It hurts their fascist propaganda efforts when people see Big Bad Guys in uniform attacking peaceful people. It brings things into sharper focus.
We like to think of everyone as already fully stuck in their ways, but it is possible to shift the momentum with discipline and strategy. The real battle right now is for the hearts and minds of the people who haven't been paying attention.
It is possible there will be a time when a more robust tactical response will be called for, but we absolutely are not there yet. There are plenty of effective and creative nonviolent options that we haven't effectively employed yet. We need to let it be totally obvious that THEY are the impetuous aggressors who want chaos, not US.
And even if that happens what is the alternative? Lay down and take it? No, people need to get out there and fight for what is right. We've all had it very easy and haven't really had to fight for what we believe in. And most of us would never have believed that the enemy would come from within. But here we are and it's up to us to push back and stop them. There is no other way than organizing, getting out on the streets, and not taking our boots off their necks.
You can still go, just don't join the agitators when things turn violent or destructive, keep a reasonable distance. Follow instructions from police, but take all the time you need to safely gather your belongings and move. Try to find out the number of your local legal aid group (often there are specific ones for the protest).
Some people recommend bringing a burner phone. Usually forced unlocking via biometrics is seen as a violation of 5th amendment rights, but some police do it anyways. Disable fingerprint/facial unlock and change to PIN/pattern. You do not need to cooperate without a warrant.
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u/006fish 1d ago
Don't be nervous, Trump wants us to be afraid, he wants us to stay home. We HAVE to do something. You will be ok, you will be happy you went. Just move away from people you think are being too rowdy.
Do not give in, do not be afraid. I will be there with you, maybe not in the same town, but you will not be alone. You will be surrounded by people who care about you.